hearne



May I, 1928.

R. J. HEARNE woaxmsps FOR mc'roay USP:

3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed May 2, 1925 INVENTOR ATTORNEY,

l l J ll May 1, 1928.

R. J. HEARNE WORKTABLE FOR FACTORY USE Filed May 2, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet g @211, ATTORNEY.

Patented May 1, 1928.

ROBERT J". HEARNE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

WORKTABLE FOR FACTORY USE.

Application filed May 2,

One object of the inventionis to improve and simplify the construction and arrangement of the parts of a power table or bench for factory use without sacrificing any of the rigidity or durability of the heavier and more complicated structures heretofore used, in order to reduce the costof production, to make the members more accessible in the case of repairs and the like, and to facilitate the assembly and disassembly of the table units. A l'urtherobject of the invention is to produce a power table having improved provision for protecting the operatives from the power connections, and at the same time to so construct'and arrange the protecting means or guardsthat they may be readily removed to afford easy access to the concealed or guarded machinery. To the accomplishment of these objects the invention consists in the improved power table or bench for factory usehereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the appendedclaims.

a In the accompanying drawings illustratmg the preferred form of the invention:

1 is a top plan ofthe improved power table or bench;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation. of the shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section taken along the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4: is a view similar to Fig. 3 taken along the line 14 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a section taken along the line 5 5 of Fig. 2, showing the guards in lowered positions so as to illustrate more clearly their connection with the table frames;

Fig. 6 is a fragmental section taken along the line 66 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a detail of one of the flanges by which thelegs are secured to the underside of the corners ofthe table units; and

Fig. 8 is a detail section of the lower end of one of the adjustable table legs.

The improved power table or bench as illustrated in the drawings comprises a series of units consisting of a plurality of main or intermediate units 10 and two end units 11, and a series of longitudinally arranged connecting members 12. There may be any preferred number of main or intermediate tables 10, and when it is desired to extend the length of the table by increasing the units and thereby the capacity of the table, one or the 'other or both of the and units are parts 1925. Serial No. 27,351.

disconnected from the end connecting members 12 and additional intern'iediate units and connecting members are set up in position, after which the end units are again put in place. The main or intermediate table units 10 are provided with accommodations for two machines, usually high speed hat sewing machines, one of which indicated at ll in Fig. l. The end units usually accommodate only one machine apiece. Each unit is provided with a slot 15 through which passes the belt for driv ing the sewing or other machine mounted on the table. Each unit is arranged transverse ly ol' the length of the table or bench as a whole and the length of each unit less than the width thereof, as shown in Fig. 1. The spaces between the table units are for the accommodation of the operatives and the width of the spaces are determined by the length or" the connecting members 12.

Each corner of the table units is supported by a vertically arranged leg 15 preterably composed of stout piping. To the underside of each corner of the table units is secured flange 16, provided with a pipethreaded hole into which the upper section 1'? of each leg 15 is threaded. The lower end of each section 17 is threaded into the upper arm of an elbow connection 18. The upper end of each lower section 19 of the legs 15 is threaded into the lower arm of the elbow connection 18. The lower end of each section 19 of the legs 15 is supported on the floor by means of a circular flange 20.

In order to level the top surface of the table units 10 and 11 to compensate for any irregularity in the level of. the floor, two of the legs or each table unit are made ververtically adjustable. For this purpose the ed leg supports 21 are provlded with a ht threaded hole and the lower ends of the corresponding legs 15 are provided with straight external threads. By turning the flanges 21 the height of the corresponding table legs is adjusted and the upper surface of the table units made level. The flanges 21 and the legs with whichthey are connected are held in adjusted position by the check nuts 22.

The sections 17 and 19 of the vertical supporting legs '15 are strengthened and anchored together by means of the longitudinal braces or rods 24 and the transverse braces or rods 25. These brace rods are preferably of substantially the same size piping as the legs and are pipe threaded at their outer ends to screw into the lateral arms of the elbow connections 18. These cross braces or rods 24 and 25 being of substantially the same size as the legs 15 and being screwed into the elbow connectioi'is into which the sections of the legs 15 are threaded give great strength and rigidity to the frame-like structure formed by them and the legs 15 for supporting the table or bed sections ot the table units. Moreover by employing these relatively large cross brace rods which are secured to the legs onlyat their ends, thereby eliminating the necessity 01" providing diagonal braces so commonly employed in structures of this kind, not only is ready access provided into the space under the tables, but the cross rods themselves may be used lfor supporting the improved guards hereinafter described.

7 The ends ot the connecting members 12 extend under the adjacent sides of the table units ll) and 11 and are secured to the under surfaces thereot by means of the bolts 27. This m iangement makes for rigidity oicon nection and at the same time permits the par to be readily disassembled in case it is llUCt try to move the table from one point to another or to lake oil the end units to add iunv interinediate units. The longitudinal connecting members 153 aliord auxiliary tables to be uc'ed in conjunction with the table units and for this purpose each connecting member is provided with the longitudinal upstanding flanges 28 to preventaccidental displacement of the articles placed thereon. Each connecting member 12 is provided on its underside with drawers Each connecting member is preferably provided with two drawers one opening in one direction and one in the opposite.

The power mechanism :lior driving the va rions machines to be mounted on the top surfaces oi the table units conn'n'iscs a longitudinally arranged shaft 3!) journaled in the upright hr l. cts 31 located under the end table in" 11. This shaft may be driven from any convenient source of power and for this purpose is provided with the pulley 33. The shaift is located under substantially the medial longitudinal. axis oi the power table as a whole so as to be equally accessible for belting purposes to the machines on both sides of the table.

'1 he machine to be n'iounted. on the tops oi the table. units are belt driven from the chine. The members of the power conncotion thus brieny described are constructed and arranged as is usual in devices of this nature.

The substantially rectangular openings formed between the brace rods 24: and 25 and the under surfaces of the tables and between the upper sections 17 of the legs 15 are provided. with protecting devices or guard members ll. These guard members all are substantially flat pieces. of wood, beaver board, or the like, suitably strength cncd on, their rear sides by the cross or longitudinally arrai'iged cleats 42 and are provided at their lower edges with the hinges 1-3 which are adapted to loosely embrace the 4 e "oil ill and 25, the upwardly projecttin of each hinge 43 embracing and stoned to the lower edge of its guard member it by means of a rivet or bolt. l'l hcn each guard member l1 is swung upwardly .to operative position the inner edge (cs against a cleat tt secured to rside ol the table. A pivotally c l latch 41:5 holds each guard member 41 in its vertical position. Figs. 3 and 5 show tne guard members in various posirelatively to the table units. By turn the latches 45 the guard members ll nay be swung (nitrardly and downwardly, thereby ali'ording access to the belts and other power connections. It will be observed by ieei'mice to Figs. 3, l and 5 that the l inen'ilrcrs :tor the outside ends of each end table unit .11 extends the full length of the 't llll unit :1. indicated at 1-6, whereas the ard incmbci tor the inner ends or the end units 11 and both ends of the intermediat table units 10 are relatively short, as indicated at 47, there being a guard member -11 on each outer end oi the transverse brace l l'OUS which guard members 17 are spaced he width or the connecting mcn'ibers 12.

The guard mei'i'ibers for protecting the longitudinal openings between the table units where the operatives sit extend clownwardly from each longitudinal edge of the com'iecting members 12 and terminate a short distance above the floor. The guard members 50 are strengthened or braced in the same manner as the other guard members by means of cleats 51. The. guard members 50 are made detachable so as to provide a freer or more open. access to the concealed or guarded machinery. For this purpose the rrar side-s o1 each guard member 50 are provided with two open, hook-like members 53 adapted to engage the studs 54 projecting from the adjacent transverse brace members 48. The bearing hooks 53 open downwardly so as to permit the guard members 50 to be swung back and be disconnected from the studs 54-. When the guard members 50 are in raised operative position they are held in that position by means of the latches 55.-

It will be observed that one corner of the upper part of each guard member is cut away to accommodate a drawer 27.

V hat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is:

1. A factory work bench or table comprising, a plurality of table units, a plurality of members connecting the table units together, and a supporting frame for each table unit consisting of a vertically arranged at each corner of the table, a transverse brace rod connecting each adjacent pair of legs, said brace rods being of substantially the same size as the legs, means for securing the legs and brace rods together, and means for independently adjusting the height of two of the legs of each table unit, the other two legs of each table unit being of fixed length.

2. A factory work bench or table comprising, a plurality of table units, a plurality of members serving as auxiliary tables connecting the table units together, and a supporting frame for each table unit consisting of a vertically arranged leg at each corner of the table consisting of two sections of pipe connected at substantially the middle of the leg by an elbow connection having lat eral arms, a brace rod consisting of a piece of pipe of substantially the same size as the legs for connecting each adjacent pair of legs together, the ends of each brace rod be ing threaded into the lateral arms of the elbow connections, and two leg supports having a straight internal threaded hole for engaging the straight external thread on the lower end of two ofthe legs for independently adjusting the height of these legs, and means for securing these legs in adjusted position, the other two legs of each table unit being of fixed height.

3. A factory work bench or table comprising, av plurality of table units, a plurality of connecting members of less width than the table units connecting them together, a supporting frame for each table unit consisting of a leg under each corner of" the table, a. horizontal brace rod secured to the middle part of each leg for connecting each adjacent pair of legs together, a guard member for occupying the longitudinal space be tween adjacent table units arranged under each longitudinal edge of the connecting members, means for detachably supporting the guard members consisting of hooks secured to the rear sides of the guard membcrs, studs projecting laterally from the adjacent brace rods for supporting the hooks, and guard members pivotally connected with the brace rods for enclosing the remaining spaces existing between the brace rods and the table sections of the table units.

4. A factory work bench or table compris ing, a plurality of table units, a plurality of members of less width than the table unit-s connecting them together, a frame for supporting each table unit consisting of a vertically arranged leg under each corner of the table composed of two sections threaded into an elbow section having lateral arms, a brace rod composed of a piece of pipe of substantially the same size as the legs threaded at each end into the lateral arm extending from the adjacent leg for connecting each adjacent pair of legs together, two adjacent legs being provided with independent means for adjusting the height of these legs, and a series of guards for enclosing the upper space below the table sections and the connecting members, the guards below the table units being pivotally connected with the brace rods and the guards below the connecting members being detachably supported.

In combination with a factory work bench having a top and a plurality of sup porting legs, substantially horizontal guard supports associated with said legs intermediate the ends thereof, and a side guard below the bench top and between two supporting legs, said guard having a plate-like body provided with hooks for engagement with said guard supports whereby to detachably and pivotally mount the guard on the bench.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ROBERT J. HEARNE. 

